Sulthoni Mosque of Plosokuning

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A. Overview

At a glance, there seem to be nothing special about the building of the Plosokuning mosque. The building has only one floor with dome, porch, pulpit for preacher, and kenthongan (bamboo drum) and bedug (very large drum). Sulthoni Mosque occupies a land owned by the Royal Family of Yogyakarta as wide as 2.500 m². When it was first set up, the building was only 288 m² wide, but after some renovations, it has been roomier with width of 328 m². It was a Pathok Nagari Mosque, which is a mosque that serves also as a boundary pole for Yogyakarta Sultanate. There are five Pathok Nagari Mosques of Kraton Yogyakarta and Sulthoni Mosque is the most well-preserved that it has been listed as a protected cultural area by the government.

The history of the mosque started in the time of Sultan Hamengku Buwono III (c. 1812-1814). He was the father of Pangeran Diponegoro, one of the nine saints who spread Islam in Java. It was during his tenure that the mosque construction was commenced, precisely soon after Kyai Raden Mustafa (Hanafi I) was appointed abdi dalem (royal servant) of Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat for Plosokuning.

Sulthoni Mosque was set up after the Grand Mosque of Yogyakarta, imitating its architecture which is a way to show people that the mosque belongs to the Yogyakarta Sultanate. The resemblances between the two mosques include the mihrab (a niche in the mosque interior wall for the imam), kenthongan, and bedug.

The area itself is named after a Ploso tree whose leaves were yellow, which used to grow about 300 meter east of the mosque. Another interesting fact about the area is that, until today, the residents of the area are descendants of Kyai Mursodo. The area around the mosque is known as Mutihan area, which means the residence of putih (white) people or santri (strict adherent of Islam). The close surrounding of the mosque is called Plosokuning Jero (Inner Plosokuning) and occupied only by the descendants of the mosque founder. As for the far surrounding of the mosque, people usually call it Plosokuning Jobo, which means Outer Plosokuning.

Today, as modern architecture flourishes in Indonesia, the Pathok Nagari Mosque’s traditional building has changed. The mosque’s red cement floor was replaced with usual tiles in 1976. The door and walls are not the original ones as well. The walls are now half as thick as they used to be. There was only one door which was very low in the mosque, making the mosque a little dark. The low door was meant to make people bow when entering the mosque, showing politeness. But in 1984, there were added two more doors and some windows.

In 2000, the mosque underwent another renovation for its four pillars and some elements. A year later, Yogyakarta Tourism Agency refurbished the mosque’s porch and wudlu (ritual ablution) place. In the same year, the local people changed the mosque’s floor with ceramics, filled in the yard with bricks, and set up a minaret on a self-supporting basis.

On certain special events, there are usually held some religious activities involving the Royal Family of Yogyakarta Sultanate. One of the events is Bukhorenan, which is a tradition there. It aims at studying the teachings and guidance of the Prophet by reading and trying to understand the hadiths of Sahih al-Bukhari.

B. Features

Pathok Nagari Mosques have two layered roofs made of strips of ulin wood with crown made of clay. The roof, which consists of two layers, suggests that Pathok Nagari Mosques are subordinate to the Grand Mosque of Yogyakarta, whose roof is three-layered. The other characteristics of this kind of mosque are the pool surrounding it, wongai plum tree, and the preacher’s platform inside it.

Out of five mosques of this kind, only Sulthoni Mosque that is still in relatively original shape despite renovations. The mosque has a bludgeon-shaped crown made of clay ornamented with spiral rows. However, the wooden roof has been changed with clay tiles in 1946.

The mosque preserves the tradition in which azan for Friday prayer is performed twice. Back in 1950, the first azan was done by five people simultaneously and the second was by only one person. But since 1960, there are still two azans but the first was carried out only by two people. The preaching used to be in Arabic yet over time, Javanese is used instead. There is a staircase before the front gate. The first three steps signify the three elements in the religion, Iman (faith), Islam, and Ikhsan (good behavior). Then, the five next steps signify the five obligatory Muslim duties. As for the last six steps, they stand for the six basic beliefs in Islam.

C. Location

Sulthoni Mosque is located in Plosokuning Raya Street 99, Minomartani Village, Ngaglik District, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta.

D. Access

Sulthoni Mosque is at 10 km north of the Royal Palace of Yogyakarta. From Adisucipto Airport, you can head for the East Ring Road then go north of Condong Catur Market. Take the left turn before a sloping road and go straight until you find a T-intersection. You should take the right turn and go straight ahead for Minomartani.

E. Ticket

There is no admission ticket to enter this mosque. Muslim visitors can pray here or take part in the religious activities. If you want to get more information about the mosque, you can go to the secretariat office.

F. Accommodations and Other Facilities

In front of the mosque there are two pools with 3 meter depth. If one is to get inside the mosque, he should purify in the ponds first. The two ponds are meant to say that we should get as much knowledge as we can while alive. Today, besides being used to wash feet before stepping into the mosque, they function also as fish ponds.

Inside, there is an old platform made of hardwood with some ornaments on it. Weirdly, there is a stick in the platform for the preacher during a sermon.

Text: Andreas Eko Wahyu S.
Photo(s): Collections of Jogjatrip.com
Translation: Reza Daffi
(Primary data and various sources)

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If you are from outside Yogyakarta and want to visit this place by travel agency services,
please contact:

Maharatu Tour and Travel

Jl. Sisingamangaraja No. 27 Yogyakarta.
Telp. +62 274 8373005. Fax. +62 274 379250
Email : maharatu@maharatu.com -maharatu257@yahoo.com
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